Electric switch and means for operating same



June 11, 1929. F: s DENISQN 1,716,951

ELECTRIC SWITCH AND MEANS FOR OPERATING SAME Filed Aug. '7, 1922 :5 Sheets-Sheet l [n vevz 2 07 FEEDER/(1K5: DEN/SON 63142 WWW ATTOBNE Y5 June 11, 1929. E DENISQN 1,716,951

ELECTRIC SWITCH AND MEANS FOR OPERATING SAME Filed Aug. 7. 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 F/ca, 3

[72 V672 or FPaJEP/C/r 6T DEN/JON ATTORNE Y5 June 11, 1929. s DENISON 1,716,951

ELECTRIC SWITCH AND MEANS FOR OPERATING SAME Filed Aug. 7. 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 as 3z Patented June 11, 1929.

UNITED STATES 1,716,951 PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK S. DENISON, 0F MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR, BE HESNE AS- SIGNM ENTS, TO MINNEAIOLIS-HONEYWELL REGULATOR COMPANY, OF MINNE- APOLIS, MINNESOTA, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

Application filed August 7, 1922. Serial No. 580,360.

This invention relates to improvements in electric switches and means for operating the same. It more particularly relates toan electric switch adapted automatically to be operated by a thermostatic means.

Broadly, the invention includes a switch havinga pair of spaced terminals and a circuit-closer co-operable therewith to complete a circuit through such terminals. This circuit-closer is preferably operable by means of an electric current operating through coils of opposite polarity. Means are provided singly to energize the coils so that the core thereof may be moved in a direction to effect the desired opening or closing of the switch. The means here shown for singly energizing the coils is a thermostatic device.

The object of the invention therefore is to provide an improved switch and means for operating the same.

Other objects of the invention will more fully appear from the following description and the accompanying drawings and will be pointed out in the annexed claims.

In the accompanying drawings, there has been disclosed a structure designed to carry out the objects of the invention, but it is to be understood that the invention is not confined to the exact features shown, as various changes may be made within the scope of the claims which follow.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan View of the apparatus as mounted upon a panel;

Figure 2 is a View in side elevation of the apparatus Figure 3 is a view of the under side of the panel or base;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view on the line H of Figure 1; and

Figure 5 is a wire diagram of the apparatus.

In the selected embodiment of the invention here disclosed for purposes of explanation, the apparatus is shown as mounted upon a suitable base such as a stone panel 6. lVhile the apparatus is operable in a plurality of different positions, it is preferred to mount the panel in a substantially upright or inclined position. The panel is provided, adjacent its upper end with two posts 7 and 8 of a circuit adapted to be opened and closed by means of a circuit-closthe screw 17. Prefera er. The post 7 is electrically connected to an upstanding blade 9 constituting one similar and opposed blade 11 in electrical connection with the other post 8. The circuit-closer 12 adapted to oo-operate with these two switch contacts is of the knifeedgc type and is preferably formed by a flat loop of strip copper. v

A convenient manner of moving this circuit-closer into and out of switch-closing position is provided by a core co-operable with two coils which are adapted to be energized to produce oposite polarity so that the core may be selectively moved in opposite directions. Two coils are preferably mounted in longitudinal alinement upon the panel so that their ends abut. One coil may be referred to as the upper or switch-closing coil 13 and the other as the lower or switch-opening coil 14. The end face of the lower coil 14 is covered by a disk 15 having an integral base 16 positioned upon the upper face of the panel and secured thereto by the screws 17 passed through .apertures in the panel and received in threaded engagement through the base 16. The upper face of the upper coil 13 is similarly covered by a disk 18 having an. integral offset portion 19 positioned upon the upper face of the base 16 and similarly held in osition by means of ly, a disk 21 is interposed between the two coils and has a short downwardly projecting portion resting upon the base 16. The two coils are preferably lined by a bearing sleeve 22 within which is slidably mounted a cylindrical core I 23. This sleeve 22 extends through both the coils, the intermediate disk 21 being suitably apertured for that purpose. The upper end of the core 23 is formed with a median reduced portion 24 by means of which connection may be had with a circuit-closer for operative movement of the latter. As hereshown, a pair of similar links 25 are secured to the portion 24 of the solenoid by means of the pivot pin 26. The outer ends of these spaced links are pivotally secured by the pin 27 to an arm 28 fixedly carried by an oscillatory member such as the rock-shaft 29 borne in the similar bearing brackets 31 at oposite sides of the pane. Thus, reciprocation of the core causes the circuit-closer I for the main switch to be'arcuately rockedof a thermostat. Each coil is provided with a circuit leading to a suitable source of electric energy and each such coil-circuit is adapted to be electro-magnetically closed or opened by the thermostat and the parts are so disposed that the upper or closing-switch circuit is energizable by the cold side of a thermostatic circuit while the loweror opening coil is energizable by the hot side of the thermostatic circuit.

Referring more particularly to the Wiring diagram, shown in Figure 5, the electric energy from a suitable source not necessary to be shown is supplied by the leads 32 and 33. These may conveniently be connected, for example, to the usual 110-115 volt commercial circuit. The lead 32 is here shown as connected to a motor 34, conventionally represented, and thence to the post 7 and blade 9 of the switch, the other side of which is electrically connected by its blade 11 and post 8, to the other lead 33 of the main line circuit.

Each coil is also provided with a circuit connected to the main line circuit. lower coil 14 has a 'wire 35 leading from the top of its winding to a post 36 in electrical connection with a blade 37 insulated from a complementary blade 38 having a wire 39 leading to a post 41 in electrical connection with the lead 32 of the main line. The lower coil also has a wire 42 leading from the bottom of its winding to a post 43 extending through the panel and carrying at its front end a clip 44 hearing a contact 45 forwardly projecting for engagement with a complementary movable contact 46 operable to make-and-break this lower coil circuit. 'As here shown this movable contact 46 is terminally carried by, a finger 47 riveted to an armature 48. The lower end of the armature. is provided with outwardly I ofiset spaced tabs 49 which are pivotally held by the' pins 51 carried by the standards 52 projecting through the panel and held in posi- I tion by the nuts 53. A weight is secured to the armature normally to hold the contact 46 away from the contact 45 to maintain these contacts in circuit-breaking position. The upper position of the armature is formed with oppositely extendin spaced ears 54 adapted to be attracted by t e poles 55 (extending through the panel) of two electromagnets 56 positioned on the under side of the panel. It may be noted that, for the sake of clarity, a single electromagnet is shown in such circuit in the wiring diagram, Figure 5. The complementary contact 46 which is insulated from the armature The v Figure 5, for the sake of clarity, this connection of the binding post 59 to the lead 33 is shown as effected by a single wire 60. Thus, the lower coil is provided with its circuit which may not only be opened and closed by means of an armature at one point but also, preferably, may be opened and closed across the blades 37 and 38. closure of this latter break is by means of a circuit-closer 66 carried by an arm '67 fixedly secured to the rock-shaft 29 and operable thereby. This circuit-closer 66 is thus co-operable with the main switch circuit-closer 12.

The upper coil 13 has a wire 71 leading from the bottom of its winding to a post 72 connected to a blade 73 hearing an insulated relation to a complementary blade 74 connected by the wire 75 to a post 76 connected to the lead 32 of the main line circuit. The top of the winding of this upper coil '13 is connectible to the other lead 33 of the main line circuit in a manner similar to that in which the bottom of the winding of the lower coil is connected to the same lead 33, viz, by means of an armature make-andbreak. This armature make-and-brake is similar in construction and operation to that referred to in connection with the circuit for the lower coil and hence the individual parts need not again be specifically described. The wire 77 leads from the top of the winding of this coil 13 to a post 78 extending through the panel and carrying at its front end the clip 79 hearing a con tact 81 forwardly projecting for engagement with a complementary movable con- 'tact 82 carried by the armature83 pivotally mounted upon the panel similarly to the mounting of the other armature. This movable contact 82 is similarly connected by a wire 84 to a panel post'85 which extends through the panel and, at its rear end, is connected to the wire 61, wire 62,- and post 63 to the rear end of the above-mentioned panel terminal 64 which, as above noted, is connected to the lead 32. In the wiring diagram this connection is simply shown as efiected by a single wire 80. The armature 83 of this upper-coil circuit is adapted to be attracted by the poles 86 of the electromagnets 87 This upper-coil circuit is therefore similarly adapted not only to be opened and closed by its armature but it also may be opened and closed by means of a circuit- T he closer 88 which is similar to the. circuitclosers 12 and 66 and is carried by a downward extension of thearm 67. This-circuit-closer 88 is therefore operable reversely to the operation of the circuit-closer 66. In other words, when the lower coil-circuit through the. blades 37 and 38 is closed by the circuit-closer 66, the upper-coil circuit through the blades 73 and 74 is open because of the raised position assumed by the circuitcloser 88. Means are provided selectivel to energize the electromagnets 56 and 87 In this embodiment of the invention, such selective energization is effected by a thermostatic circuit. Preferably the thermostat circuit derives its electric energy from a trans former 91, the primary circuit 92 of which is connected to the leads 32 and 33 at the panel terminals 64 and 93. The thermostatic circuit comprises the usual hot and cold sides and with a'thermo-bar connection. Such thermostat is diagrammatically represented in Figure 5 wherein the usual thermo-bar 94 is electrically connected to the secondary winding of the transformer by means of the wire 95, panel terminal 96,

and connector 97 running from the rear end of the terminal 96 to the terminal 100 of the secondary winding of the transformer which is mounted upon the rear face of the panel. The hot contact 98 of the thermostat has a wire 99 leading to the panel terminal 101. The rear end of this panel terminal is connected by the wire 102 to the post 103 in electrical connection with the blade 104 mounted on the front of the panel and insulated from its complementary blade 105 which in turn is electrically connected to the post 106 having a Wire 107 leading to both electromagnets 56 in circuit therewith and thereafter extending to the transformer.

The cold side contact 108 is connected by the wire 109 to the panel terminal 111. The rear end of this panel terminal 111 is connected by the wire 112 to the rear end of the post 113 which on the front face of the panel is electrically connected to the blade 114 mounted on the panel in insulated relation to the blade 115 connected to the post 116 extending through the panel and having its rear end connected by the wire 117 to the two electromagnets 87 and to the secondary terminal 110 of the transformer. Circuit-closers 118 and 119 are carried upon an arcuat'ely shaped arm 121 which is similar in construction and operation to the arm 67 which carries the two circuit-closers 66 and 88 for the coil-circuits.

The operation of this apparatus may be explained in connection with one use to which it readily lends itself, viz, for the purpose of starting and stopping an electric motor used in connection with home-heating plants of the liquid fuel type. In the position of the apparatus shown in the wiring diagram, the motor is running, its circuit being completed from the lead 32 through the motor, circuit-closer 12 to the other lead 33. Assuming that the room or other inclosure has been heated to the desired degree at which point the thermo-bar 94 is bent to contact with the hot side con-- tact 98. Thereupon the induced lower voltage current from the secondary winding of the transformer 91 passes through the thermo-bar 94 to the hot side cont-act 98, wires 99 and 102 to the blades 104 and 105. The circuit across these blades is closed by the circuit-closer 119 which, when the motor is running, is in forwardly descended position corresponding to the position assumed by the circuit-closers 112 for the main switch. From the blade 105, the induced current passes along the wire 107 to the two-electromagnets 56 and thence to the other terminal 110 of the transformer. The electromagnets 56 are thereby energized and the armature 48 is thereby attracted which causes the break in the lower coil circuit between the contacts 46 and 43. Thus the current-from the lead 33 flows alon the wire 60 to the armature 48 across the c osed contacts 46 and 43 and by the wire 42, to the bottom of the winding of the lower coil 14 and out the top thereof by the wire 35 to the blades 37 and 39 which are closed by the descended position of the circuitcloser 66 and therefore to the other lead 32 of the main line circuit. The lower coil 14 is thereby energized and the solenoid 23 is rearwardly pulled by the lower coil. This solenoid movement rearwardly holds the links 25 and rocks the arm 28 to withdraw the circuit-closer 12 to open position whereby the motor circuit is interrupted. As the arm 28 is fixed to the rock-shaft 29, the latter is similarly turned so that the two upper circuit-closers, i. e., 119 and 66, are also rocked to circuit-opening position. This rock-shaft movement functions therefore both to open the thermostatic circuit through the electromagnets 56 and also to open the lower coil circuit whereby both the electromagnets 56 and the lower coil 14 are deenergized.

The apparatus is thereby automatically reset for starting of the motor upon engagement of the thermo-bar 94 drops below the described point. Upon such engagement with the contact 108, the induced current from the transformer flows through the bar 94, then by the wires 109 and 112 across the circuit-closer 118 to the wire 117 and the other electromagnets 87 and back to the transformer. Energization of the electromagnets 87 depresses the armature 83 and closes the upper-coil circuit acrossthe contacts 81 and 82 so that the higher voltage current may pass from the lead 82 across the circuit-closer 88, wire 71 to the coil 13 and ment and contacts alternately engageable thereby, a pair of relays and a circuit for each, each circuit being in series with the movable element through one of its contacts, and each circuit having a switch therein, a pair of coils each having a separate circuit, and each controlled by one of the relays, and switch control means alternately operable by each coil upon alternate engagement of the movable element with its contacts, in one instance to open the switch for that coil which is performing the instant operation and open the switch of the corresponding contact whose making is responsible for the instant operation, and then close the switch for the other coil and the switch for the opposite contact, the arrangement therefore being such that each energization of each coil controls four switches and one relay, alternately conditioning the coils and relays to be operated as the result of alternate engagement of the movable member with its contacts.

2. A device of the class described comprising a control device having a movable conducting element and contacts alternately engageable thereby, a circuit for the control device having its source connected on one side with the movable element, a switch and first relay in that part of the circuit including one of the contacts, a second switch and a second relay in that part of the circuit including the other contact, the circuits for both contacts connecting on that side of the source opposite the connection with the movable element, a pair of pulling coils and separate circuits therefor, one including a switch, one pulling coil and one relay, also controlling the pulling coil circuit and theother including a switch, the other pulling coil and the other relay, also controlling the pulling coil circuit and means operable by the pulling coils, such that when the movable device engages one of its contacts, one relay closes three of the switches are opened and two are closed, and when the element engages the opposite contact the other relay closes, two of the switches are opened and three are closed.

3. A device of the class described comrisin a control device havim a movable conducting element and contacts alternately engageable thereby, a circuit for said control device having its source connected on one side with said movable element, a first relay in that parto'f the circuit includin' the other contact, a pair of pulling coils an separate circuits therefor, .one including a switch, one of'the pulling coils and ,the armature of'the first'relay, and the other connection including a switch, the other pulling coil and the armature of the second relay, and means operable by the coils, such that when the movable device engages one of its contact three switches are opened'and two are closed, and when said element engages its opposite contacts two of the switches are opened and three are closed.

4. A device of the class described comprising, a control device having a movable conducting element and contacts alternately engageable thereby, a circuit for said control device having its source connected on one side with said movable element, a first switch and first relay in that part of the circuit including one of the contacts of the control device, a second switch and second relay in that part of the circuit includin the other contact, a pair of pulling coils an separate circuits therefor, one including a switch, one of the pulling coils and the armature of the first relay, and the other including a switch, the other pulling coil and the armature of the second relay, and means operable by one pulling coil to open the motor switch, one pulling coil switch and one contact circuit control switch, and close the other pulling coil switch and other contact circuit control switch, and by the other pulling coil to reverse the process, all in conformity to the alternate making and breaking of the movable element of the control device with its contacts.

5. A device of the class described comprising, a control device having an automatically movable conducting element and contact alternately engageable thereby, a low voltage circuit for said control device having its ource connected on one side with said movable element, a switch and first relay in that part'of the low voltage circuit including one of the contacts of the control device, a second switch and second relay in that part of the low voltage circuit including the other contact, a high voltage circuit, a pair of pulling coils having separate circuits across the high voltage line, one connection including one of the pulling coils and the armature of the first relay, and the other connection including the other pulling coil and the armature of the second relay and means operable by the pulling coils, such that when the movable device engages one of its contacts one high voltage switch and one low voltage switch are opened, and one high voltage switch and one low voltage switch is closed, and such that when the opposite contact is engaged, the order of switch control is reversed.

6. A device of the class described comprising a control device having a movable conducting element and contacts alternately engageable thereby, a circuit for the control device having its source connected on one side with the movable element, a first switch" and first relay in that part ofthe circuit including one of the contacts of the control device, a second switch and second relay in that part of the circuit including the other contact, a pair of pulling coils, and separate circuits therefor, one connection including a switch, one of the pulling coils and the armature of the first relay, and the other connection including a switch, the other pulling coil and the armature of the second relay, and means operable by the pulling which obtained this switch-opening operation, a continued movement of said means endin in the closing of the circuit to the opposite contact and of the other pulling coil, and the arrangement further being such that, when said movable device engages its opposite contact the switches are operated in a reverse sequence.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 4th day of August, 1922.

FREDERICK S. DENISON. 

